Five 17-year-old boys died Sunday after their car plunged off a cliff near Grand Junction, Colorado.
The crash occurred on August 9, at approximately 7:45 a.m., when first responders responded to a possible crash in the 2000 block of Lookout Lane.
All five occupants were 17-year-old boys who were all residents of Grand Junction.
The crash occurred Saturday night.
However, Grand Junction police were not dispatched to the scene until 7:45 a.m. Sunday.
The five boys have been identified by family and friends as Braden Taylor, Tristan Tucker, Titus Gould, William Simms, and Tyler Martinez.
Initial investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling southbound on Lookout Lane when it veered off the roadway and down the steep incline of the hillside.
All five died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash.
Three occupants, including the driver and front-seat passenger, were wearing seat belts, while two others were ejected from the vehicle.
Speed is being considered as a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
On Facebook, Taylor’s grandfather, Calvin Wilken, confirmed his 17-year-old grandson’s death in the crash. “Very sad news our youngest grandson Braden 17 died in a car rollover down 5 ledges of a very steep drop off over looking the railroad tracks and the Gunnison River,” Wilken wrote.
He continued: “He was a passenger with 4 of his buddies, all deceased. Just a few blocks from their old house on the ridge top housing development above.”
A GoFundMe page created for Tucker’s family stated: “Tristan Tucker was slated to start his senior year of high school, get his driver’s license, and do all the things teenagers do. He was full of life, potential, and a free spirit.”
The fundraiser added: “His sudden passing has left his family, friends, and everyone who knew him facing unimaginable grief.”
Simms’ sister, Emily, created a GoFundMe to help her single mother cover funeral costs, memorial services, and bills while she mourns the “tragic loss of her baby boy.”
Martinez’s grandmother, Debbie Gallegos Martinez, posted a picture of the crash scene on Facebook, writing: “with a heavy heart and tears rolling down my cheek my grandson was one of this boys.”
A meal train fundraiser has been created for the Gould family “as they navigate their new normal.”
Emergency responders worked collaboratively to recover the victims from the crash site in a residential area south of Grand Junction.
Kelly Clingman of the Grand Junction Police Department said: “Those professionals who deal with mental health and grief counselors, any type of professional like that, they are so vital for people to talk to.”
In the viral moment that has gripped the community, first responders discovered the five boys dead in the smashed vehicle after the early Sunday morning call reporting a possible crash near Lookout Lane.
The Grand Junction Police Department and Grand Junction Fire Department responded to the scene and discovered a crashed vehicle on the side of the hillside.
First responders then raced to get to the crash scene and used ropes to descend down the cliff, but there were no survivors.
A 2023 Google Street View image of Lookout Lane does not show guardrails along the stretch of road where the crash occurred.
Mesa County public schools start back up on Tuesday, and the Mesa County Valley School District says it will have resources on hand for students and staff.